Bearing lubrication system



Aug. 17, 1965 G. H. MILLAR BEARING wsnzcuzon SYSTEM Filed Aug. 8, 1963 CA RB um: TOR

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United States Patent f 3,20%,580 EEARKNG LUBRHCATION YSTEM Gordon H. Millar, Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., assignor to Mctluiloch Corporation, Los Angeies, Qalif, a corporation of Wisconsin Fiied Aug. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 390,831 2 Claims. (Cl. 6tB13) This invention relates to a system for lubricating parts used in association with a two-cycle engine.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a syS- tem for lubricating accessories, for a two-cycle engine, located externally of the engine crankcase.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for lubricating the bearings of a turbocharger used on a two-cycle engine such as an outboard motor.

With these objects in mind the invention broadly comprises utilizing the fuel for the engine for lubricating the bearings of a turbocharger or the like by passing the fuel, with an oil mix therein, through such bearings on its way from the fuel tank to the engine carburetor. An overflow type of carburetor with a recirculating pump may be used with a return line from the carburetor to the tank to provide a recirculating system.

These and other more detailed and specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an outboard motor having a conventional turbocharger thereon.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the lubrication system for the turbocharger.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, reference characters will be used to denote like parts and structural features in the different views. An outboard motor is denoted generally at 10 having a conventional powerhead 11, enclosed within a cowl 12 and in driving connection through the housing 14 with the propeller 15. A carburetor is mounted at the front of the power-head within the enclosure 16 for admitting fuel to the engine, the carburetor receiving the fuel through a port 17.

It will be understood that the engine is of the two-cycle type in which the fuel or gasoline has the lubricant oil mixed therein at a predetermined ratio, said mixture being effected prior to introduction of the fuel into the carburetor.

The engine is provided with a turbocharger designated generally at 18. The function of this device is to force air under pressure into the carburetor and intake manifold of the engine to increase the power and efiiciency of the engine or into the exhaust manifold to complete combustion of the exhaust gases. The turbocharger is shown in enlarged cross section in the diagrammatic view, FIG. 2. Referring now more particularly to this view, the device will be described in detail.

The turbocharger housing denoted generally at 20 has a turbine housing 21 and a compressor housing 22 which are interconnected by a tubular housing portion 24. The housings 21 and 22 are generally cylindrical and are integrally related through tube 24 in axial alignment.

Housing 21 is connected as by conduit 25 with the exhaust manifold of the engine and has an axial outlet 26 opening into the drive shaft housing 14 for passage of exhaust gases from the housing 21 downwardly through housing 14 and out the underwater exhaust pipe 27.

The compressor housing 22 has an axial inlet 28 open to atmosphere and an outlet 29 connected to the air conduction pipe 30 which leads to the intake manifold of engine 16.

A pair of bearing rings 31 are mounted in axially spaced relation within the tubular connector housing 24,

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journaling the shaft 32 for rotation therein. At one end shaft 32 extends through wall 34 into the compressor housing 22 and carries a rotary fan 35 adapted when rotated to draw air in through the opening 28 and force'it into the duct 30. An O-ring 36 provides a seal around this end portion of shaft 32. The opposite end of shaft 32 extends into housing 21 and carries a rotary impeller 37. The shaft has an enlarged hub portion 38 which is sealed with respect to housing portion 24 by the O-ring 39.

Impeller 37 is designed to be rotatably driven by gases entering the housing 21 through conduit 25' and discharging axially through outlet 26 and into the lower housing 14.

The tubular connector 24- which serves as a bearing housing has axially spaced inlet and outlet ports designated respectively at 44 and 41 extending radially outward through the wall thereof. The inner ends of these ports open to the remote sides of the bearings 31. The outer end of port 40 is connected to a line 42 leading from the fuel tank 44. A fuel pump 45 operatively connected to the engine is disposed in the line 42 for pumping fuel from the tank 44 through the line. The outer end of port 41 is connected to the carburetor fuel inlet port 17 by line 46.

The carburetor (not shown) is preferably, though not necessarily, of the overflow type incorporating a recirculating pump, as is well known in the art, with overflow fuel being returned by the pump through line 47 to the tank 44.

Operation of the system will now be understood. The turbocharger 18 is driven in conventional manner by the engine exhaust gases passing from the exhaust manifold into the turbine housing 21 through conduit 25 and causing rotation of the bladed impeller 37. This causes rotation of the fan 35 through shaft 32 to bring in air from the atmosphere through inlet .23 and force it through the pipe 319 to the air inlet of the engine to increase the chiciency thereof. It may also .be desirable, though not here shown, to portion some of the compressed air from atmosph-ere to the exhaust manifold to complete combustion of the exhaust gases.

Tank 44 contains a gasoline-oil mix fuel for the engine having lubricating qualities. In conventional operation the fuel is pumped directly from the tank to the engine carburetor. By this system, however, the fuel is pumped through line 42 and port 40 into the tubular bearing housing 24 to provide constant lubrication for the bearings 31. The bearings reside in a constantly flowing lubricant bath as the fuel enters the interior chamber of housing portion through port 40 and discharges through port 41 into line 45 for passage to the carburetor.

Thus the turbocharger is lubricated by bypassing the fuel therethrough on its passage from the tank to the carburetor. It will be readily apparent that other accessories for a two-cycle engine might be lubricated by this same system.

It is understood that suitable modifications may be made in the structure as disclosed, provided such modifications come within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an outboard motor adapted to burn a fuel-oil mix introduced to the motor from a source through a carburetor on the motor, a motor accessory mounted on the motor and isolated from the mix flow therethrough, said accessory including at least one bearing journaling a rotary element for rotation therein, a housing enclosing said bearing, a first conduit providing communication between the fuel-oil mix source and the housing, a fuel pump in said first conduit, a second conduit providing communication between the housing and the carburetor 7 whereby all of the mix will pass through said housing to lubricate the bearing prior to introduction to the motor and a third conduit providing a closed connection between the carburetor and source to carry excess mix from .the carburetor back to the source. v 2. In an outboard motor having a two-cycle engine, a carburetor on the engine, a source of fuel for the engine, a rotary turbocharger mounted on the motor including a bearing journaled shaft having a turbine assembly at one end and an air compressor at the other end, conduit means connecting the engine exhaust manifold to the turbine assembly to cause engine exhaust gases to rotate the shaft, the air compressor having an air inlet for receiving air from the atmosphere, conduit means connecting the air compressor and the carburetor for carrying air under pressure from the compressor to the cartherebetween, whereby when a gasoline-oil mix is used as fuel for the engine it will pass by and lubricate said bearing on its Way from the source to the carburetor, and said turbocharger being provided with a tubular bearing housing intermediate the turbine assembly and air compressor and encircling said shaft, said housing supporting at least two of said shaft journaling hearings in spaced axial alignment and being in open communication through said housing for passage of said fuel directly from one of said bearings to the other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/56 Judson et a1 123-496 2,784,551 3/57 Karlby et a1. 1 -3908 X 3,102,382 9/63 Bo zzola 60l3 RICHARD B. \VILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

JULIUS E. WEST, Examiner. 

1. IN AN OUTBOARD MOTOR ADAPTED TO BURN A FUEL-OIL MIX INTRODUCED TO THE MOTOR FROM A SOURCE THROUGH A CARBURETOR ON THE MOTOR, A MOTOR ACCESSORY MOUNTED ON THE MOTOR AND ISOLATED FROM THE MIX FLOW THERETHROUGH, SAID ACCESSORY INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE BEARING JOURNALING A ROTARY ELEMENT FOR ROTATION THEREIN, A HOUSING ENCLOSING SAID BEARING, A FIRST CONDUIT PROVIDING COMMUNICATIN BETWEEN THE FUEL-OIL MIX SOURCE AND THE HOUSING, A FUEL PUMP IN SAID FIRST CONDUIT, A SECOND CONDUIT PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE HOUSING AND THE CARBURETOR WHEREBY ALL OF THE MIX WILL PASS THROUGH SAID HOUSING TO LUBRICATE THE BEARING PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION TO THE MOTOR AND A THIRD CONDUIT PROVIDING A CLOSED CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CARBURETOR AND SOURCE TO CARRY EXCESS MIX FROM THE CARBURETOR BACK TO THE SOURCE. 